Hyena cuisine

Dinner is served

Hyenas tear into a carcass as scavengering birds wait their turn. Hyenas eat almost everything on a carcass, including the bones.

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Alert diner

Credit: Eli M. Swanson

A spotted hyena wearing a radio collar stands at alert over a carcass.

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Lone hyena

Credit: Eli M. Swanson

Spotted hyenas are known for their "laughs," but research shows the hyena giggles are anything but light-hearted. The animals usually make the noise during social conflicts.

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Hyena and cub

Credit: Eli M. Swanson

Hyenas are aggressive, but they know how to cooperate. According to a 2009 study published in the journal Animal Behavior, hyenas are quicker learners…Read More »

than non-human primates when it comes to figuring out how to do a task to get food. Less «

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Dig in

Credit: Eli M. Swanson

A spotted hyena enjoys a meal. Hyena females outrank males and get to eat first.

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Author Bio

Stephanie Pappas

Stephanie interned as a science writer at Stanford University Medical School, and also interned at ScienceNow magazine and the Santa Cruz Sentinel. She has a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz.